Saturday, September 9, 2017

Camagüey, Sep 9.- As Irma, again hurricane category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, it departs from Camagüey, the strong winds that have whipped since last night to the province, begin to decrease.

In the city itself, where there were gusts of up to 120 km/h, which caused severe damages in several decks and facades, has now given the wind up to 80 km/h.

Meanwhile, in the municipality of Esmeralda, which suffered with much more force the onslaught of Irma, with gusts up to 250 km/h, even feel winds. According to report from that territory, at two in the morning there was a streak of 135 km/h.

Strong winds are also felt in the municipalities of Florida and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, close to Esmeralda, and the province of Ciego de Ávila, where now moves Irma.

The Center of forecasts of Camagüey also reported that two bands of cloudy days are going through at the moment the town Cascorro, in the municipality of Sibanicu, and the city of Camagüey, with which rain is forecast locally intense in these early hours of the morning.

In summary, decreases the strength of the wind in the city of Camagüey and the municipality of Esmeralda (where they still have hurricane-force), but it is highly probable the occurrence of heavy rains in the early hours of the morning because of the power of the hurricane Irma. (Digital) (Image: Insmet)

NOTICE OF TROPICAL CYCLONE No. 26.
Hurricane IRMA.
Irma moves slowly to the west by the north keys

The intense hurricane Irma is ravaging the north keys of Camagüey and Ciego de Avila as a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Scale. In the early hours of the morning the meteorological station of Emerald, Camagüey recorded a wind gust of 162 kilometers per hour in the southwest, with sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour, also in Camagüey there was a streak of 123 kilometers per hour west southwest, with sustained winds of 68 miles per hour.

The displacement of the intense hurricane Irma this morning by the seas to the north of the province of Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila, has generated hurricane-force winds in the northern half of these provinces. The Irma power bands influence the eastern provinces of Holguín, Santiago de Cuba and Granma, up to the provinces of Villa Clara and Cienfuegos, with heavy rains and locally intense.

At three o'clock this morning, the center of the intense hurricane Irma was located by the radar network of the Institute of Meteorology, in the 22.3 degrees North latitude and 78.4 degrees West longitude, position that located about 20 km south of Cayo Coco, Ciego de Avila and 115 kilometers southeast of Caibarién, Villa Clara.

During the morning, the intense hurricane Irma has maintained maximum sustained winds in the order of 260 kilometers per hour, with gusts above and a minimum pressure of 930 hectoPascal and advances to the west at 19 kilometers per hour.

As Irma is moved to the west on the cays north of Ciego de Avila province, will persist-force winds of tropical storm in Holguin and Las Tunas and the southern half from Camagüey to massacres where in its northern half the hurricane force winds will be, between 160 and 190 kilometers per hour, with gusts in excess.

On the north coast of Ciego de Avila There will be waves between 5.0 - 7.0 meters in height, keeping the floods. These conditions will extend Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara, increasing the height of the waves between 7.0 - 9.0 meters and starting strong floods, including the cays of Sabana - Camagüey. During the night, the conditions of tidal waves and floods will become strong in the north coast of Matanzas Mayabeque and Havana, including the seawall. In the latter, the coastal flooding will begin in the afternoon with scenarios strong at night and in the morning. Due to the persistence of the winds of southwest region will result in coastal flooding in the south of Ciego de Avila and Sancti Spiritus. In the south coast from Cienfuegos and Matanzas There will be waves between 3.0 and 4.0 meters with flood light.

In the next 12 to 24 hours the intense hurricane Irma will maintain the course next to the west, transiting on the north coast of the central region in the early morning, with fluctuations in its speed and intensity, but shall be maintained as a hurricane.

Because of the danger that continues to represent this body for Cuba, it is recommended to pay attention to the information issued by the Center for Weather Forecasts of the Institute of Meteorology and the guidelines of the National Civil Defense.

The next Tropical Cyclone on the intense hurricane Irma will be issued at six in the morning today Saturday. (Institute of Meteorology)